Sunday, July 17, 2011

This Week's Menu

Technically, this was last week's menu, but it's been a crazy week and this is the first chance I had to post some photos.  What ever happened to a slow and relaxing summer?


On the menu this week were some of my favorite flavors:  fresh basil, spicy curry, and Dijon mustard.  Not all in one dish, mind you, although... I'd like to consider that a challenge some day.


The first entree was a bit of comfort food, with mashed potatoes as the featured starch.  The based tofu was topped with a Dijon-agave glaze, and Brussels Sprouts Amandine rounded out the meal.  I really liked the contrasting spicy-sweet-bitter elements, as well as the crunch texture of the slivered almonds balanced with the smooth and silky potatoes.


The next entree was a simple chick pea curry made special with the addition of pumpkin puree.  I sauteed some onion, stirred in the usual spices, and deglazed with diced tomatoes.  The sauce developed its richness with the addition of coconut milk and a squeeze of lemon, then I stirred in some baby spinach and cooked it until wilted.  I love this meal any time of year.


The last entree for the week was Pan-fried Tempeh with Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Baked Garnet Yam and Broccoli.  I love contrasting the orange-green color theme, and the garlicky punch of pesto melded nicely with the super sweetness of the baked yam.  This one is perfect for a late summer/early fall menu, but it worked just as well in the middle of a heat wave.

No comments: